______________________________________________________

Oppression, unity in diversity, and confessions mark this week’s passages. Most likely, even proclaimers new to the Revised Common Lectionary, will be conversant with these passages. The first begins the narrative of the bondage of Israel in Egypt and the promise of a new leader in Moses.

Exodus 1:8-2:10—What Makes Old Satan Hate Me So?

As we pick up the story, several generations have passed from where we left off last week. Jacob’s future now moves the story forward. The core of gravity lies in a single phrase, "Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph." Such ignorance, the writer hints, will prove Pharaoh’s and his court’s undoing. With these words, however, the Hebrew tribes in Egypt fall upon hard times. Fearing a military coup, Pharaoh takes murderous steps to down-size the Israelite population. First, Pharaoh enslaves and oppresses the Israelites. Then, Pharaoh commands all Hebrew male babies to be destroyed upon birth. Mercy is extended through the faithfulness of Shiphrah and Puah and in the extraordinary event of Moses.

Romans 12:1-8—You Want Me to Do WHAT?

After eleven chapters of theology, heilige Geschichte, midrash, questions, and doxology we go forward with Paul’s oun, or "therefore." In view of all that has preceded, Paul says his readers are to offer their very lives as a worshipful response to God’s merciful action. Philip’s translation is so memorable for what comes next in Paul’s thinking: "Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within . . ." And with that, we are ushered into a marvelous section on spiritual chrisms that God personally assigns to individual Christians and that account for the variety of form and function within the community of God.

Matthew 16:13-20—Right Answer, Wrong Conclusion

"But who do you say that I am?" That’s the one-liner that we all wrestle with. So uncompromising and closed-ended. Jesus raises the question and we all join the disciples to overhear what response Peter will give. Noticeably quite different from Mark’s version of the story, Matthew has Jesus blessing Peter for his answer while Mark says that Jesus rebuked his prize student. At any rate, that’s not all we wrestle with in the text, for we also must come to grips with the Son of Man title and the issue of authority (I will give you the keys of the kingdom . . . whatever you bind . . . whatever you loose . . . will be [done] in heaven.)